Monday, January 30, 2006

The easiest way....

Lots of debate about "religion" (I've never liked that word) and the search for God. My 18 yr old (18 going on 45) wrote a paper about the difference between religion and faith. He points out that the word "religion" is based on the words "re and ligio" or a return to bondage. Faith, as a word however, is a whole 'nother animal. I like the word faith. It feels like you're taking chance, a leap of, in order to believe when belief defies the logical. So, what does this have to do with God and our relationship with Him? Well, I think that if you're bound, you'll think very little of anything but yourself and your circumstances. Wallowing in yourself and swilling in your own marinade so to speak. (ew, that was gross...but kinda true) But, if you have FAITH...you might find some pretty cool stuff going on while you're leaping around throwing all caution to the wind. And isn't that what God would like us to do? "JUMP! I will catch you!" You can hear Him say it...and unlike your friends who chanted that to you from beneath the neighborhood fort and then didn't....He really will catch you. And, chances are, while you're leaping around, and discovering cool stuff...you're probably not thinking so much about yourself and your swilling....and there lies probably the very best way to run into........Him.

3 comments:

To return to the bondage of Jesus wouldn't be a bad thing~ I think I would love to live like that! So, I guess if I have a religion, it would be Jesus.But I agree~ 'Faith' is a better word, although it's harder to do than religion, the way we think of it.

Absolutely...The Source New Testament translation by Dr. Ann Nyland, a third generation Greek scholar, quotes Jesus as saying: "You overly-critical, hair-splitting, pedantic, religious types! Isaiah prophesied about you correctly when he said, 'These people honor me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. And in vain they worship me, their teachings are rules made up by people.'" Matthew 15:7-9 Later, the Caananite woman comes for her daughter to be cured of a demon...and Jesus says he is there only for the lost sheep of Israel....we know the story....but because she was of great FAITH (Matt. 15:28) and cut out the "middle man" ignoring any "religious" stuff...going straight to Jesus....her daughter was cured. That's so cool....and so freeing...

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Come. . .

The Spirit and the bride say, "Come!"And let those who hear say, "Come!"Let those who are thirsty come; and let ALL who wish take the FREE GIFT of the water of life.Rev. 22:17

“. . . always remembering that we bow to no authority as final but the Word of God, as illuminated by the Spirit. We will endeavor to interpret the Bible by what the Bible says, not by what men say that it says.” ---Katharine Bushnell